BOSTON – The Bruins traded tonight for a player that has been plying his trade for an Ontario-based NHL team for years.

Unfortunately for most Bruins fans, though, Tomas Kaberle did not stay behind when Toronto left TD Garden after its 4-3 win over Boston. Instead, a couple hours after the game ended general manager Peter Chiarelli announced he acquired center Chris Kelly from Ottawa for the Bruins’ own second-round draft pick.

“He’s smart. He knows where to go. He’s a good skater. He fills lanes; that speaks to his hockey sense,” said Chiarelli about the new acquisition that figures to plug in between some combination of Blake Wheeler, Michael Ryder and Tyler Seguin on Boston’s third line. “He’s always been one of the first PK guys, and one of the things I’ve noticed too, at least when I was in Ottawa, all the top lines wanted him as a linemate. He’s a dependable guy on a line and he can make plays. So there’s always kind of an inner argument as to moving him up when things aren’t going right.”

The way the Bruins’ lineup varies in effectiveness from night to night, week to week, we’ll probably see Kelly skating in a half dozen places between now and the end of the regular season. Chiarelli said Kelly could also play on the wing. But, of course, he doesn’t play on defense – the area most folks wants to see upgraded between now and the Feb. 28 trade deadline.

If Chiarelli doesn’t take the last few games dating back to the 6-3 win over Dallas as a referendum on his team’s D corps’ inability to win three or more rounds of playoffs, then the Stanley Cup drought is guaranteed to extend to 39 years.

It’s one thing to have a tough time moving the puck against Detroit and containing the Red Wings’ super-skilled forwards. But when Toronto’s diminutive forwards are spinning Boston blueliners like dreidels, it’s time to wonder if the right ingredients are on the Bruins’ back line. When you have two rookies in your top six and your $1.875 million second-year defenseman is pushed to the press box, you’re obviously in flux and grasping for the right combination – not preparing for a run to the Cup.

To hear Chiarelli tell it tonight, however, we shouldn’t expect the next great defenseman to ride in on white skates and take a ton of heat off Zdeno Chara and Dennis Seidenberg.

“Are you saying ‘am I going to hit a grand slam in the next deal if I can do a next deal?’” he replied to one reporter’s questions. “I don’t think so. I think it’ll be a good deal. There are good players out there and I hope I can get it done.”

So not only aren’t the Bruins going to swing a blockbuster, Chiarelli’s not even 100 percent certain he’ll get his man. He admitted there were nine defensemen up on his board this morning. I’d have to believe that one of them will finally find his way to Boston. Without going crazy, you can probably bet the list includes Chris Phillips, Kaberle, Zach Bogosian and other names that have been rumored and not been mentioned.

“I think really it’s a solid defenseman, that can log some minutes and there’s some out there like that – solid two-way defensemen. There’s other defensemen also, different type of defensemen,” Chiarelli said. “It’s hard to find a match as far as a team that’s willing to trade just for futures. There’s different routes to get to that defenseman, but there’s some decent options.”

If the different routes involve trading something other than picks or prospects and actually parting with a player, you’d have to hope that’s not going to stop Chiarelli. As I’ve detailed in past columns, the tradeables far outnumber the untouchables on this team that’s on the cusp of falling back into the bottom half of the Eastern Conference’s top eight. As constructed, this Bruins team has second-round ouster written all over it – and that’s only if Tim Thomas can survive much longer with some of the scoring chances he’s had to dive and flail at the last couple weeks.

Even if they add one of the “available” defensemen, the Bruins still might not be a championship-caliber team. They might even need two reinforcements back there. And up front, they certainly can’t rely on some combination of Ryder, Nathan Horton, Blake Wheeler, David Krejci and Seguin to get hot at the right times. But it’s obvious Chiarelli doesn’t see this as an all-in proposition. Even with the Kelly trade, he still has four picks in the first three rounds of this June’s draft. He has prospects that are coveted and have even gained a little NHL experience. He has some young roster players that might fit in elsewhere. Yet by the sound of it, there isn’t much inclination to value a parade this spring any more than one in 2014.

Kelly made my list of trade targets in the aftermath of the decision to shut down Marc Savard. I have no problem with the Bruins adding him to bring some grit and experience, and get Seguin back out on the wing. The Bruins’ track record with bottom six forwards is solid in recent years, with the additions of Shawn Thornton, Gregory Campbell, Steve Begin and Stephane Yelle over the years.

As for their defense corps, Chiarelli has to deliver something greater than just a “solid” player. Maybe it’s two “solid players.” But he has to do something dynamic. And as I’ve said before, that mean going after someone who’s not available right now – either because he’s on a team that’s not a seller or is a cornerstone piece of a club. Chiarelli has the assets to make a team make a player “available.”

This is not time to fine-tune. This is a time to re-define. And solid just isn’t going to cut it.

the hole a center is the number one? uh, no. Bergeron is a number one center, for sure. just because one of his linemates is old, he isn’t suddenly a number two. the hole is in the third line and it is the whole line. does Kelly fill the center gap? I don’t know, but I both hope and doubt it. it would be crazy to part with McQuaid and/or Ference (see my favorite link for why), but I’d be cool with Boychuk, Wheeler, Ryder and Hamill going for one superstar or two good players (a wing and a second-pair defender). I’d also not be happy to see Krejci or Campbell go. I’d rather we package Chara out in return for good two forwards and a decent defenseman. the Bruins only look weak on defense because they suck at offense. very little is likely, but we can hope.

Ok Matt. Lets look at your scenario. Trading C for D. Bergeron, Krecji, Seguin, Kelly, Campbell, Colborne, Hamill, Spooner – Some see Wheeler as a C – and then of course there is Savard. (This injury kills the Bs. Savard was the piece that made it all go – without him we get this Horton instead of the one we thought we were getting). If you’re playing for this year and not the future – You can’t trade Krecji or Bergeron. Not trading Seguin. Colborne, Hamill Spooner ain’t fetching nothing. So – Wheeler and Campbell. Even with the Bs #1, one of those prospects and one of Stuart/Boychuk/McQuaid/Ference, there’s no way that brings home a grad slam in my mind, unless someone out there is going to do the Joe Thorton trade we got suckered into. Might happen – we did it – but its very unlikely.

The problem is that we are arguing ‘grandslam’ like I said. A grand slam to me means we get Kaberle AND we fill the real hole at center – the one at #1! That guy doesn’t exist – or if he does, he’s injured and is a square peg salary wise.

Anyway… just don’t think you’re being fair on this one. I think the Savard injury really kills us this year. We hoped Krecji could fill that role – he couldn’t even fill the empty net when we needed him to last night (that was unfair – now we’re even.).

Other than Horton and Seguin this is the team that Historically collapsed last year. Say what you will about playing with good teams but the facts are facts. We can use the Krecji injury but like Hal Gill says ‘excuses don’t get the lawn mowed’. With that, I don’t think anyone on this team should be ‘safe’. This isn’t a tree farm. There were times when a non-playoff team dominated us last night. Is it because the guys are worried about being traded. If that’s the case they’re pretty fragile.Just another excuse.

Bojangels I don´t think you have been reading Matts blog lately. Maybe it was your first time. But I would ask you to go trough last posts and try to understand better what Matt talks about in here. And if there is someone that understands the cap, the trading problems, prospects and picks, this guy would be Matt.

Matt – I usually like your stuff. This is a whole lot of unfair and unreasonable.

Some reporter asked a goofy question about grandslams and you’re picking that apart? Give me a break. You make is sound like trading for Yandel and Nash is as easy as applying for a loan and getting a second job. You make is sound like if PC isn’t happy with those on the market, that he should simply don the cat-prowler mask and raid the store. This is malarky.

This Kelly trade is a good one. We had a whole at 3rd line center. Neither Wheeler or Seguin were filling it to satisfaction. I’ll bet Kelly does. He plays the PK – he works hard – he’s respected and is a leader. His salary is a veritable wash with Wheeler. So that frees PC up to trade one of his desired assets.

But if you think he should just whip up a grandslam – well… there’s a reason they don’t happen very often. There are requirements for a grandslam – say loaded bases – from all I’ve read, the bases don’t look loaded in this market and hockey world of capped salaries.

Or maybe you expect that the Bs can trade Barry Pederson for Neely and the 3rd overall pick whenever they feel like it.

I’m not sure why Chia fell in love with Sidenburg. The last time we played T.O he was a turnstile for Kessel. This time Grabo goes by him like the house on road that he is. He had some good shifts and he blocks shots but…..

I like the tone today Matt and also agree with GR90 – opportunities are being generated – they have to find a way to finish. After seeing the last 3 games, let’s not trade the seed corn for the magic bean.

We gain Ryder’s space at the end of the year and will also lose at least 1 d-man in the acqusition of another> I find it very likely we deal one of our forwards to make room for young talent next season and by doing so we should be able to improve our d corps. I see no reason 1 extra d-man is a limit when we have at need for another 2 top 4 d-men and a real #2 (sidenberg does a pretty good impression of one though). Like the Kelley move, and by Cam’s tone, I doubt that was the trade he was speaking of.

I would go for Bogosian! If we are dealing for a Dman let it be the 20 years old kid. He can help us a lot right now and on the future. For him I would not mind trading my 1st round. But for Kaberle??? Forget about it. I don´t think he is the answer at all.
Plus we need a center or a winger much more then we need a D. Maybe trade “Lazy” Krecji for a big name, maybe Richards or something like him.
I think if we are going for the Cup, this team needs a change right now.

this team does not need to go crazy to rent thomas kaberle. they have a very solid foundation of youth and i don’t want to see them blow it for one guy this year. they are not a cup winnin team with out a legit goal scoring winger. horton did not fit the bill and that is weighing heavily on their chances to do anything this year.

I wonder if Chiarelli would put Kaberle in the solid or the grand-slam category. Top ten in points among the league’s defensemen three quarters of the way through the season isn’t exactly nothing. I know there are lots of non-fans of Peter, but part of this could be semantics…he’s not exactly demonstrative by nature.

I’m not being glib I just think most teams are happy with their bottom six. It’s the top six that are hard to aquire. They are the ones that over the long haul determine if you’re any good or not. No one on the bottom six play on the power play. Oh wait Campbell just scored. Get the puck.

Well-put, Matt. I’d almost say that at this point, the PMD isn’t as important as the scoring winger. CJ’s schemes on getting the pick thru transition have shone through brilliantly at times, and completely failed in others. But the Bruins generate a decent number of chances now… they just need a guy who can finish, and bring confidence to the whole club. I’d rather we get a solid d-man who could eat up minutes at a + rate, along with the aforementioned winger, than have Kaberle.